World's Worst Procrastinator

I, my friends, am the perfect definition of a procrastinator when it comes to Christmas. Kids birthday parties? Planned and finished months in advance aside from the typical day before set up. Other people's birthday gifts? Thought of and purchased weeks prior to the event. Church functions? Halloween costumes? Holiday outfits? Family picture prep? All done way in advance. Yet for some reason it never fails that I'm that person wrapping ALL of the Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve. Seventy percent of gifts that were just purchased that same week. I plan out what I'm getting everyone in the fall time. I write it down in my planner and order the custom things online so they are here in time. However the rest of stuff I frantically search for the week before/week of Christmas. Today I purchased our final gifts for the kids. The ONLY gift that Andlee asked for was a $400 ride on carriage. Of course that would be our luck. Four hundred dollars for ONE toy for ONE kid.

I always swore I wouldn't be that mom who bought her kids a ton of expensive gifts for Christmas. One 'big' gift then several normal fun gifts along with clothes and books. However, this was literally the only thing that she asked for. She's said for months that this was all she wanted. I knew that we would do whatever it took to make that work. We are so thankful to be able to purchase our children what they ask for. My soul aches when I imagine parents who can not get their children what they wanted. I wish that I was rich so we could buy those gifts for the parents to give their babies. Adopting a handful of children each year just doesn't feel like we do enough. 

Anyways, I finally got Andlee the one and only thing that she asked for today. Such a relief. I still have all of the wrapping to do and 4-5 gifts left to buy but I'll get there. If you're a procrastinator like me, it's okay. As long as it all gets done that's what matters, right? But really, next year I might turn a new leaf and be perfectly pre prepped. I might have everything done before December. 

HA. Yeah right. Let's not be an over achiever here. This momma will always be a last minute Christmas elf.

 Being exhausted, pregnant, in the middle of moving, busy with appointments and Christmas prep, raising 3 young children, house planning with my dad, ect all at once has wore on me but a lot of that is almost over. Come next week our farm will be closed on, the moving will be temporarily done (until the new house is built), and the holiday stress will be over. 

I'm trying my best to enjoy these moments. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year and I WILL cherish this time with my loved ones despite all of the craziness. Our week is jam packed full of busy.

Today, I'm finishing most of the packing. 

Tonight, we are making a gingerbread village while fulfilling my Mexican food craving. 

Tomorrow, we are checking up on our little rainbow then finishing the Christmas shopping. 

Tomorrow night, we are wrapping all of the gifts that aren't the kids. I'm making those little mini elves help momma elf out. 

Wednesday, we are moving all of our furniture out of the house aside from the living room furniture and the master bed. 

Wednesday night, we are taking the kids to Bass Pro to see Santa then going to see the Rhema Christmas lights if it's not too chilly.

Thursday, we are moving all of the tubs and boxes into storage. 

Thursday night, Brian's taking the kids out to eat so that I can wrap then hide all of their presents. 

Friday, baking and cooking for Christmas #1. 

Friday night, Brian's sibling Christmas at his parents house. 

Saturday, day spent at my parents shooting skeet with family. 

Saturday night, Christmas #2 the Hudson's side Christmas my parents house. 

Sunday, Christmas #3 our personal Christmas with the kids, #4 Brian's parents Christmas with our kids, #5 my Noblin's side Christmas at my grand parents, and #6 Brian's big family Christmas at his grandpas house. 

Monday, WE CLOSE ON OUR FARM and have 10 days to be completely moved out. We are moving into an adorable newly built cabin on our new place while our house is being built. I'll do a picture tour of it once we are all settled in. It's built on a small lake and seriously the neatest place I've ever seen around here. There's a big deck off of the cabin over the water. It has a diving board on it and a lot of safety railing. The lake has a huge spring running into it. Yes, we will soon have our own little lake. I'm totally being braggy but it really is incredible. I'm obsessed with it. It used to be a fish breeding lake. It's full of fish and has abundant wildlife. If you know us you know that's our kind of heaven. 

The place on the creek that we had originally gotten a contract on fell through. The seller backed out. We were so upset. We had looked long and hard for the perfect place. God had a plan though because where we are ending up is unlike anything else around here. In fact it has a special certificate for it that hasn't been given anywhere with in 10 counties of us in the last 50 years. Apparently having a spring as big as this on your place is of great value. I can't wait to show you guys it. I'm obviously very excited about it. I just imagine sitting on that deck watching the ducks and geese while listening to the water run as I'm reading a good book drinking a cup of coffee. Ahh yes.